Broncos & NFL

Denver Broncos to host rival San Diego Chargers in NFL playoff game

All videos from the week leading up to the Denver Broncos facing the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, Jan. 12, 2014.

There shouldn't be a problem with overconfidence this time.

No team has played the Broncos any tougher this season, in victory and defeat, than the Mike McCoy-coached San Diego Chargers.

"They kind of manhandled us at home on that Thursday night game," Broncos tight end Joel Dreessen said. "We remember that. They did a good job running the ball against us, and a good job stopping our offense, especially on third down. We certainly hurt ourselves in that game too. I'm looking forward to it."

When the Broncos found out Sunday afternoon that the Chargers would be their opponent in a second-round AFC division playoff game next Sunday at Sports Authority Field at Mile High, sofa lounging was accompanied by texts and tweets among teammates.

After the Broncos finished 13-3 in the regular season to earn the NFL playoff season's first weekend off, the Chargers upset and embarrassed the Cincinnati Bengals 27-10 on Sunday at Paul Brown Stadium.

"We can't wait to get to get work tomorrow," Dreessen said.

"We're excited," Broncos offensive guard Zane Beadles said. "I think we recharged both mentally and physically from the week off. The last time we played them, I don't think we played as well as we can, and we're excited for the opportunity to work at that and get that taste out of our mouths."

The Chargers were only the No. 6 playoff seed in the six-team AFC tourney. They made the playoffs with a relatively mediocre 9-7 record. But they finished the regular season by winning four in a row — including a 27-20 victory at Denver on Dec. 12.

Chargers defensive coordinator John Pagano ordered heavy pressure on Andy Dalton in the first-round playoff game Sunday, forcing the Bengals quarterback into committing three turnovers.

It probably won't be as easy for Pagano — who was raised in Boulder — to rattle Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning this weekend. Manning finished the regular season with an NFL-record 55 touchdown passes and 5,477 yards while leading the Broncos to a league scoring mark of 606 points.

But that's where McCoy comes in. McCoy was the Broncos' offensive coordinator the previous four seasons and knows from working with Manning last season that the best defense against him is when Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers has the ball.

More than any other Broncos opponent this season, the Chargers executed a ball-control strategy of keeping Manning off the field. In two games between the AFC West rivals this season, the Chargers held the ball for nearly 77 combined minutes to only 43 minutes for the Broncos.

The Broncos held on for a 28-20 victory in San Diego on Nov. 10, then lost to the Chargers 27-20 in a Thursday night game Dec. 12 in Denver.

This is the second consecutive season the Broncos will host a divisional-round AFC playoff game after earning a first-round bye as the No. 1 seed.

The first time didn't work out so well. The Broncos had dominated the Baltimore Ravens in Week 14 of the 2012 regular season, going up 31-3 in the fourth quarter. The Ravens then stunned the Broncos a month later in the playoffs, winning 38-35 in double overtime.

This season, the Chargers defeated the Broncos in Week 14. The Broncos know they can't show up with their B game Sunday and expect to win the rubber match.

"I think also having gone through that experience last year and how upsetting that was, that nobody is taking anything for granted," Beadles said. "We know we can get beat at any time."

Chargers vs. Broncos this season: 1-1, losing to Denver 28-20 at San Diego on Nov. 10 and winning 27-20 at Denver on Dec. 12

Chargers' strength: Offense, offense, offense. Quarterback Philip Rivers had a resurgent year in 2013 after three down seasons, finishing with 4,478 yards passing, ranking fifth in the NFL.

Chargers' weakness: The Chargers' defense has at times been utterly absent, similarly to the Broncos'.

Key to Denver victory: Peyton Manning. When the Broncos lost to the Chargers last month, Manning had an ineffective night and the Broncos scored their fewest points (20) of any game in 2013. They can't have a repeat of that kind of performance, not with their defense as shorthanded as it is.

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